Carol June (Stevens) Cernik

Carol June Cernik, 82 of Palmer, passed away on Thursday, April 16, 2020 at her home surrounded by her family.

Visitation will be from 3:00 – 7:00 P.M. on Monday, April 20, 2020 at Greenway-Dietz Funeral Home in Palmer.  Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, we will adhere to the limitation of 10 or less at public gatherings. 

Private Family Graveside Services will be held at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Palmer, Nebraska. Pastor Mike Anderson will officiate. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the family to be designated later.   A celebration of Carol’s life will be held at a later date. 

Carol was born July 26, 1937 at Brewster, Nebraska to Floyd Stevens and Esther (Fox) Stevens. Her mother later married Joel McMullen who was like a father to Carol. She was raised in Miller, Palmer, and Burwell, Nebraska. She went to school in Palmer and Burwell.

Carol married Alvin Cernik on December 10, 1955, in Grand Island. They were married for 63 years. Alvin passed away on Valentine’s Day in 2018.

Carol worked at Jack & Jill Grocery Store in Grand Island and at the Legion Club in Palmer. She also delivered the Grand Island Independent Newspaper for 42 years in the Palmer area. She babysat for many years in her home. Carol enjoyed gardening, crocheting, knitting and raising baby lambs.  She especially enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren. Carol’s door was open to anyone. She was a member of the Palmer United Methodist Church, the 40 & 8 Club and the American Legion Auxiliary of Palmer.

Those left to cherish her memory include her son, Richard (Penny) Cernik of Palmer; daughters, Marilyn (D.D.) Dugger of Palmer, and Kim (Rusty) Rowe of York; 12 grandchildren, Bob Dugger, Jennifer Brundage, Chris Dugger, Kelly Mierau, Mike Schwieger, Dana Schwieger, Racheal Meduna, Kayla Cernik, Melissa Westwood, Brian Rowe, Michelle Rowe, & Meaghan Rowe; 22 great-grandchildren, Riley, HaiLee, Colton, Hunter, Raylin, Alexis, Liam, Jacob, Colton, Oliver, Keghan, Carson, Landon, Isaac, Jaison, Graesyn, Rowan, Kynlee, Kelsey, Emma, Blakelyn, & Cody; brother, Robert (Shari) McMullen of Burwell; and sister-in-law, Agnes Cernik of Ord. 

She was preceded in death by her husband, Alvin; father, Floyd; mother, Esther; stepfather, Joel; infant twin sons, Kenneth & Keith; infant daughter, Sandra Cernik; daughter, Linda Doncheske; brother, Gordon McMullen; sisters, Betty Fisher and Audrey Stevens; mother-in-law, Barbara Kapustka; fathers-in-law, Joe Cernik and Bolish Kapustka.

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